According to this Fiji Sun article FICAC is investigating a man who allegedly took Help for Homes swipe cards from 20 homeowners in Taveuni promising to expedite delivery of building materials to rebuild their homes wrecked by Cyclone Winston.

Yet, the FF Government and FICAC are completely ignoring the massive #scam involving certain big hardware merchants who got away with close to $80 million under the same scheme without providing the promised building materials to card owners.

These hardware companies took Help for Homes swipe cards from victims of the cyclone, withdrew their money and gave assurances that building materials would be provided.

Most of the card owners were then forced to run from pillar to post trying to obtain the building supplies but kept being told that supplies were not available and to await the next shipment. They are still waiting.

FLP Leader Mahendra Chaudhry exposed this scam at the public hearing of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economic Affairs on Sugar in May last year.

We have since repeatedly run articles asking why these hardware merchants are not being investigated and prosecuted for hoodwinking these desperate people.

In December last year Minister for Economy Aiyaz Khaiyum admitted the scam when he mentioned that these hardware merchants would be fined for not providing the building materials that had been paid for through the swipe cards.

#We ask: just a fine, Minister Khaiyum, for such a huge scam? These companies took undue advantage, and betrayed the trust of thousands of suffering and desperate families most of whom had lost all they had in the cyclone?

Where is your sense of fair play and justice, Minister Khaiyum? How can these companies be allowed to get away with just a fine.

In any case, we have not so far heard of any fines being imposed on any of these companies.

Is it because some of them are major financiers of the Fiji First Party?

Mahendra Chaudhry , the fine is definitely paid. It is paid direct to FFP and to Khaiyum and baimarama's pocket. They don't have to face court to see the Rawan Judges and magistrates.

Reply

Chiku

3/3/2017 09:28:23 am

Q : Where is your sense of fair play and justice, minister Khaiyum?
A : Aiyaz Khaiyum took leave of his sense of fair play and justice, his conscience and moral compass since installing himself as coupist Bainimarama's right hand man. Now he sees his role as one of protecting the Bainimarama regime cronies like murder minister Praveen Bala and the thieving big business wallahs and hounding and maliciously prosecuting regime opponents and critics.
He has become a shameless scoundrel.

Reply

Rajend Naidu

3/3/2017 09:51:11 am

Editor,
Crooked People in Power
We learn from Aljazeera News 4/3 that Brazilian president Michel Temer received millions of dollars in illegal funding ( election campaign contributions from big business ).
This is hardly shocking news. It is commonplace in contemporary politics for some politicians to take big bribes to stay in power and engage in what the South Koreans call " pay to play " ...
Fijileaks has exposed that alliance in the post coup Fiji context many times.
Is that what the " clean up " coup was about?
Or, is that a case of same old same old politics?
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

Reply

Labour@Heart

3/3/2017 11:05:31 am

Yes, it is time to drain the FijiTheft swamp of corruption. Good on Mr. Chaudhary to question these crooks. I have big hope for FLP if such vigor and passion, for the poor, is expressed more often and more aggressively by FLP - and if FLP keeps miles away from the coupist Rabuka.

Since it is such an important question, it would also help our party hugely for the next elections; if our Leader Mr. Chaudhary clearly and plainly explains to the prospective supporters and voters –why he compromised fundamental democratic ideals, in 2006, to support and join a coupist’s armed overthrow an elected government.

It is a big taboo, Mr. Chaudhary and a big let-down to all those who kept dedicated vigil for your release from the coupist George Speight (2000) or even the earlier one of the coupist Rabuka (1987).

Perhaps in the better interests of FLP, it may also be very helpful to our Party, if our long serving, hard working, elderly Leader Mr. Chaudhary, hands over the reins of the Party to a deserving steward, but continue to support and bless the Party from the sidelines. But good-luck to FLP come 2018.

Reply

Rajend Naidu

3/3/2017 12:30:45 pm

Editor,
US Attorney General Jeff Session removed himself from any investigation into links between the Trump election campaign and Russia because " there was prima facie conflict of interest " ( abc 24 news 4/3 ). He had himself meet with the Russian ambassador twice without disclosing that at his confirmation hearing.
Attorney General Aiyaz Khaiyum had a Prima facie conflict of interest as secretary of Fiji First Party and Minister for Elections. There were calls for him to remove himself as MoE. He didn't. He is still in that position to oversee the next election of 2018.
What is one to make of that?
What does that tell us about Aiyaz Khaiyum?
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

How can they live in their posh house and eat off money stolen from cyclone strikes poor.... shame on all. Bainimarama wipe that guilt smile off your face and do something.

Reply

Who owns NFU land bought to resettle farmers?

3/3/2017 08:20:24 pm

Has FIRCA done a check on MPC for how NFU land in Labasa changed hands and how cyclone AMY money was distributed that he held in trust?

Not getting supplies due to delayed shipment is not corruption as eventually the goods will be delivered. But Cyclone Amy funds disappearing is more likely a corruption.

Reply

Rajend Naidu

4/3/2017 09:11:56 am

Editor,
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov dismissed the calls for the US AG Jeff Session to resign and the investigation into contacts between Russians and Trump campaign as a " witch hunt " reminiscent of the days of McCarthyism ( ' Like McCarthyism' : Lavrov slams US ' witch hunt - like ' scrutiny of Russian ambassador contacts. RT Question More 3/3 ).
A witch hunt is an investigation carried out ostensibly to uncover subversive activities but actually used to harass and undermine those with different view ( The Free Dictionary ).
The case against Session and others clearly cannot be classified as a witch hunt.
It's a genuine investigation into violations of established US laws and democratic norms relating to transparency and accountability and public scrutiny.
Witch hunt is what occurred during the Stalin era political purges in Russia ( see Stalin, The Great Purges, And Russian History : A New Look At The " New Class " by Professor Marshall Shatz, 1984, Professor of History, University of Massachusetts at Boston ).
Lavrov would no doubt be familiar with that witch hunt and the malicious persecution of dissidents and religious leaders it entailed.
It is claimed that Russia has to some extent returned to that kind of witch hunt under president Putin.
We too have had some of that witch hunt of " those with different view" in Bainimarama and Khaiyum's " New Fiji ".
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

Reply

Rajend Naidu

9/3/2017 12:07:49 pm

Editor,
Corruption Undermines Development
Oil rich and oil exporting Nigeria has closed its main airport in the capital Abuga for 6 weeks to allow repairs to be undertaken.
Why did it get so bad before anything was done?
That is because of a cocktail of corruption and incompetence on the part of those in charge ( BBC 9/3 ).
It had reached such a state of deterioration that there were " gaping potholes " on the runway!
And, here in Fiji we are complaining about lovo size potholes on our roads...
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

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